Black Star Square
Large open parade ground on the Accra coast, used for national celebrations and military parades. The Black Star Gate stands at its edge, and the Independence Arch is close by.
Accra
Jamestown, beaches, markets, lively nightlife and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park await in this coastal capital and gateway.
Attractive locations
Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum
Memorial park in central Accra honouring Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of independent Ghana. His tomb lies in the grounds, alongside a small museum about his life and ideas.
National Museum of Ghana
Ghana's national museum, with traditional art, crafts and everyday objects from different regions and periods. It makes a helpful introduction to Ghanaian culture before exploring further afield.
Jamestown Lighthouse
Lighthouse in Jamestown, one of Accra's oldest neighbourhoods and still a working fishing quarter. The streets around it are lined with colonial-era buildings, fishing boats and colourful murals.
Makola Market
Large, crowded market in central Accra selling fresh produce, cloth, household goods and street food. It gives a busy, close-up look at everyday trade in the capital.
Independence Arch
Large arch near Black Star Square, built to celebrate Ghana's independence and topped with a black star. It is a landmark of the seafront ceremonial grounds.
Aburi Botanical Gardens
Shady hillside garden north of the city, laid out in the 1890s, with tall trees, flower beds and paths. The cooler air makes it a pleasant break from Accra's heat.
Airports
Kotoka International Airport ACC
It is about 6 km in a straight line from Accra.
Scams and safe taxis
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan27.3 °C22 mm
- Feb27.8 °C44 mm
- Mar27.9 °C104 mm
- Apr27.7 °C134 mm
- May27.2 °C196 mm
- Jun25.9 °C197 mm
- Jul24.6 °C91 mm
- Aug24.1 °C40 mm
- Sep25.1 °C102 mm
- Oct26.1 °C148 mm
- Nov27.0 °C64 mm
- Dec27.4 °C25 mm
Driest months: Jan, Aug, Dec. Wettest months: May, Jun, Oct.
Costs
Prices here are about 38% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
festival
December festive season
Accra's visitor numbers peak in this month, with concerts and parties.
festival
Chale Wote street art festival
Music and street art fill Jamestown, Accra.
festival
December festive season
Accra's visitor numbers peak in this month, with concerts and parties.
Who can help
Emergency
112. Police 191. Fire 192. Ambulance 193.
local government
Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA)
Helps with: Ghana's national tourism body. Its head office in Accra and its website give contact details for visitor questions and tourism enquiries.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Ghana or planning a trip there.
Phone: +233 302 985 069
Email: [email protected]
Address: No. 2 Haile Selassie Street, South Ridge, Accra
local government
Ghana Police Service headquarters
Helps with: National police headquarters in Accra. The contact page gives its general enquiry lines and address; it does not show a separate tourist police unit or emergency number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Ghana, including visitors, who needs to contact the national police.
Phone: +233 302 773906
Email: [email protected]
Address: Ring Road East, Cantonment, Ghana
local government
National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO)
Helps with: Ghana's national disaster body. Its site lists 112 as NADMO Line 1; 112 is also Ghana's general emergency number for police, fire and ambulance.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Ghana affected by a disaster such as flooding, or reporting one.
Phone: 112
Email: [email protected]
Address: Plot 3, Brigade, East Kanda, Cantonments, Accra
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ghana
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Ghana since 1987. It works on migration management and crisis response and gives humanitarian help to migrants, returnees and displaced people.
Who qualifies: Migrants, returnees and displaced people in Ghana. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +233 302 742 930
Email: [email protected]
Address: 9 Volta Street, Airport Residential Area, Accra